This a Spitfire forum?

Recently there have been various comments that this is a Spitfire forum – I think more a Lancaster forum

I wonder if the answer to this question really stems for wartime publicity – or am I biased because I work in publicity?

It strikes me that it was the propangandists of WWII – the PR men or Spin doctors in modern terms – who first gave the Spitfire it high public profile – possibly at the expense of other aircraft. The Spitfire was successful, it was also good looking and had a great PR name – so it attracted the focus of media attention, hence the Spitfire funds etc.

That attention becomes self perpetuating and continued post war. Then fighter squadrons chose a Spitfire as a gate guard – which greatly helped the survival rate – 40+ airworthy is remarkable for one type. Most general public (then and now) seeing a single engined aircraft would call it a Spitfire. When the Tucano was introduced, the RAF’s liaison teams received several requests for information about “a low flying red and white Spitfire” but never a complaint.

To briefly consider the Lancaster – I wonder how much does its reputation and profile today depend on the Dambusters Raid and the celebration of that success at the time?

Ask anybody to name two wartime aircraft and these two will be top of the list.

Of course, this forum is not populated with a representative selection of the general public, there is a great depth and breadth of knowledge. Just looking at the discussion on this thread so far you see an interest in the whole of Bomber Command, some, frankly, obscure areas of research and even classic cars.

Spitfire Forum? – no, but if a new thread is started everytime a restored aircraft flies, then Spitfires will still be the most represented types.

Allan

Althought i am a fan of the Spitfire (and many other airplanes) I believe that this is a very balanced forum; for those who think otherwise, start new threads…;)

I’d like someone to recount the tale of the Hector’s attacking the Nazi’s at Calais in 1940 ……..

Any takers ??????????

Alex Crawford will do so in his forthcoming Hawker Hart family book. I touched on it in my Lysander book. (Both MMP, no advert;) ).

Well only one that is roadable in my garage, the rest are spares recovery only !

Despite being offered many times I just can’t seem to want your old one ! 🙂

Nor I!

Pondskater now that is a Spitfire !!!!

is it a mk3 which is my favourite, the elegant lines of that mark take some beating I have owned several of those, and looking for another as we speak.

But to make do I have a mk2 GT6 which I will take any 109 on in 😀 chocks away !

Yep – a MkIII, one of the last from 1970. The best looking and a wonderfully responsive engine, before the USA emission controls shackled it. Shame I didn’t know you were looking for one – I’ve just sold it! Don’t currently have a garage and as a result rust got into the A Posts – always nasty. Now I’ve just got boxes and boxes of Triumph spares and VW Golf outside. :confused:

Have to admit a MkII GT6 might turn my head too. Maybe I’ll get one of those rare GT6 convertibles next time. They’ve all got wings and engines so can’t be bad.

Allan

PS Sorry to Cees for thread creep – we seem to be discussing Spitfires, but only ironically, honest.

Only the one GT6? I thought you had a whole squadron….. all gone tech though!

Well only one that is roadable in my garage, the rest are spares recovery only !

Despite being offered many times I just can’t seem to want your old one ! 🙂

Pondskater now that is a Spitfire !!!!

is it a mk3 which is my favourite, the elegant lines of that mark take some beating I have owned several of those, and looking for another as we speak.

But to make do I have a mk2 GT6 which I will take any 109 on in 😀 chocks away !

Only the one GT6? I thought you had a whole squadron….. all gone tech though!

Pondskater now that is a Spitfire !!!!

is it a mk3 which is my favourite, the elegant lines of that mark take some beating I have owned several of those, and looking for another as we speak.

But to make do I have a mk2 GT6 which I will take any 109 on in 😀 chocks away !

I do see what is meant by the over publication of the spitfire and eternal debate it brings over the battle of britain etc but it is just one of those things.

Part of the problem as has been said is there are so many spitfires about (which is good) it leaves the impression that they are the only WW2 british fighters on the airshow scene and also TV (discovery anyway) seem to talk about nothing else!!

I found myself recently saying to Phantom Phixer that i was bored of seeing spitfires at every air show (Duxford esp) and wished there were more varied types flying like more Hurricanes, a tempest or a Typhoon would not go amiss either, but the spit has a kudos about it which seems to suppress other types which is a shame but it is the same old ‘wow there is a spitfire’ over ‘Hurri what?’ which in this age of information is a shame as 90% of School kids still get told that the spitfire won the battle of britain!!!!! so believe it which makes the situation worse (i have heard teachers tell kids this many times when i am at a museum in the week).

But i dont really think there are too many spitfire threads just too many sometimes on a similar topic like the eternal ‘bit on e bay’ threads which are slowly getting out of hand, or threads about the dambusters (and its movies) dont get me wrong their story is amazing even today but so many things happened in world war 2 and all that seems to be talked about these days is the spitfire,The Dambusters and bits of old airplanes and that is really down to us forum users more than anything else.

But also you are perpetuating the spitfire thread theory by creating a thread about spitfire (threads):p .

curlyboy

I’m with you on that one 🙂

One of these – this one answers to “Jove”

Allan

Aaaahhh! one of Coventry’s finest

Roger Smith.

Cees, where was it ever asserted that the forum goes OTT on Spitfires? 🙂

Anyway I’m happy with anything that has wings and an engine…much like me women; two legs and two eyes, anything else is a bonus! 😀

Always happy to see pictures of a Stirling.

I’m with you on that one 🙂

What is a ‘Spitfire’?:dev2:

One of these – this one answers to “Jove”

Allan

Being in love….

To be honest,having a biased approach to the Spit all I can say is that it,s like being in love with a supermodel.You just HAVE to tell everyone about it…:cool:

Overstrand ?

Nice place,north norfolk coast isn’t it, not far from here ! :

24 year marriage, Jesus! That in itself is worth starting a new thread about:)

I was taking some (kind) ribaldry, from Andy & the like, about 9 – 12 months ago, for griping about Spitfire boredom & monotony

(well, having been building kits & studying a/c since the late 1960’s – ‘Spitfire’ repetition had got to me by the mid ’70’s & has been with me since:rolleyes:

When I raised a thread about the B.32 Dominator/Ki.44/A.6.M shootdown incident after V.J. day – it ~(pretty much) bombed with about 2 replies (max)

Similar, regarding P.61

Only time I saw some interest on a thread I’d bothered starting, that illicited some Genuinely interesting response & photo’s……….was regarding the
SHORT STIRLING bombing raids of 1948, when they were used on numerous occasions, against the Israeli’s (even in broad Day-light)
Glad I did, as some links & pix on topic were posted (thanks Gent’s !)

I always enjoy reading about DC.6’s & Boeing 707’s on here, plus stuff like the Sea-Vixen & Sea-Hawk – & enjoying the odd banter with Bruce over the old North Weald residents that were scrapped or chopped up !
I think it’s been good recently, anyhow – but there are peaks & troughs.

I’m (eventually) gonna get round to scanning & posting two cracking images that I have, shot’s that I believe are unpublished (& maybe unseen, mostly ?

One is of a Short Stirling, a fantastic image I’d not seen before- at an airfield disposal area, with bowser (perhaps Stradishall ? doubt it’s North Creake or Downham Mkt judging by the surroundings – Looks like a Mk.III )

Was given to me along with two rare images of Snettisham Gunnery range
(8th A.F./1st A.D.) that were in amongst a cache of Snettisham Village & beach area pix – as the previous (elderly) owners had moved to Scotland some years ago……. (just 3 military shot’s)

The other is of a Vickers Wellington (Hercules engined variant – looks like a Mk.X) close up by the nose, with what appears to be fresh distemper, or White paint overall, a crystal-clear private shot, again unseen/unpublished.

Recieved those shots about a week before my 24 year Marriage collapsed (!)
so naturally – got put (metaphorically) on the back-burner !

I’ll scan & post ’em when we’re going thru a ‘barren’ spell & ‘Spitfire-heavy’ !!!

Just a point Moggy –

We’ve got Boulton-Paul Overstrand’s & Sidestrand’s………

Why no ‘Trimmingham’ ? (or Cromer’s !!!!)

How about a thread on ‘Queen-Bee’s (drones) or Hawker Henly’s ???????

I’d like someone to recount the tale of the Hector’s attacking the Nazi’s at Calais in 1940 ……..

Any takers ??????????

Always happy to see pictures of a Stirling.

What is a ‘Spitfire’?:dev2:

DS

What a shame that the Spitfire is not more like a Hurricane.:diablo:

I’m sure US-based fora are up to their cojones in P51 threads.

There were lots made, there are lots around, there are plenty being restored.

I fear it is the way it is.

Maybe we are just short on ‘other types’ threads rather than having too many Spitfire ones?

Moggy

Now, about the Boulton Paul Overstrand.

I was taking some (kind) ribaldry, from Andy & the like, about 9 – 12 months ago, for griping about Spitfire boredom & monotony

(well, having been building kits & studying a/c since the late 1960’s – ‘Spitfire’ repetition had got to me by the mid ’70’s & has been with me since:rolleyes:

When I raised a thread about the B.32 Dominator/Ki.44/A.6.M shootdown incident after V.J. day – it ~(pretty much) bombed with about 2 replies (max)

Similar, regarding P.61

Only time I saw some interest on a thread I’d bothered starting, that illicited some Genuinely interesting response & photo’s……….was regarding the
SHORT STIRLING bombing raids of 1948, when they were used on numerous occasions, against the Israeli’s (even in broad Day-light)
Glad I did, as some links & pix on topic were posted (thanks Gent’s !)

I always enjoy reading about DC.6’s & Boeing 707’s on here, plus stuff like the Sea-Vixen & Sea-Hawk – & enjoying the odd banter with Bruce over the old North Weald residents that were scrapped or chopped up !
I think it’s been good recently, anyhow – but there are peaks & troughs.

I’m (eventually) gonna get round to scanning & posting two cracking images that I have, shot’s that I believe are unpublished (& maybe unseen, mostly ?

One is of a Short Stirling, a fantastic image I’d not seen before- at an airfield disposal area, with bowser (perhaps Stradishall ? doubt it’s North Creake or Downham Mkt judging by the surroundings – Looks like a Mk.III )

Was given to me along with two rare images of Snettisham Gunnery range
(8th A.F./1st A.D.) that were in amongst a cache of Snettisham Village & beach area pix – as the previous (elderly) owners had moved to Scotland some years ago……. (just 3 military shot’s)

The other is of a Vickers Wellington (Hercules engined variant – looks like a Mk.X) close up by the nose, with what appears to be fresh distemper, or White paint overall, a crystal-clear private shot, again unseen/unpublished.

Recieved those shots about a week before my 24 year Marriage collapsed (!)
so naturally – got put (metaphorically) on the back-burner !

I’ll scan & post ’em when we’re going thru a ‘barren’ spell & ‘Spitfire-heavy’ !!!

Just a point Moggy –

We’ve got Boulton-Paul Overstrand’s & Sidestrand’s………

Why no ‘Trimmingham’ ? (or Cromer’s !!!!)

How about a thread on ‘Queen-Bee’s (drones) or Hawker Henly’s ???????

I’d like someone to recount the tale of the Hector’s attacking the Nazi’s at Calais in 1940 ……..

Any takers ??????????

I’m sure US-based fora are up to their cojones in P51 threads.

There were lots made, there are lots around, there are plenty being restored.

I fear it is the way it is.

Maybe we are just short on ‘other types’ threads rather than having too many Spitfire ones?

Moggy

Now, about the Boulton Paul Overstrand.

Whats the saying- variety is the spice of life? Perhaps a little less moaning and a little more proactivity is called for….(dons tin hat and hides under bed).

As for me, I think that there is plenty of variety on this forum, providing a wealth of information.

Dean